Foster's Melodies No. 54
"Our Willie Dear Is Dying" (1861)
Ballad
As Sung by
Gustavus Geary
Written and Composed
(Poetry and Music) by
Stephen Collins Foster, 1826-1864

1.
    Our Willie, dear, is dying, love,
      And thou art far away;
    His little breath is sighing, love,
      And cannot last till day.
    To night while sitting by his side
      I heard him speak of thee --
My father's coming home, he said, with presents bright for me;
My father's coming home, he said, with presents bright for me.
    Come with an eagle's flight,
      Come like a beam of light,
    Come libe, come home to night;
      Our Willie dear is dying.

2.
    His blooming cheeks have faded, love,
      The light has left his brow;
    His eyes are dim'd and shaded, love,
      You would not know him now.
    And when the fever rages,
      With a sad and restless moan,
His feeble voice then warns us there is death within that tone;
His feeble voice then warns us there is death within that tone.
    Come with an eagle's flight,
      Come like a beam of light,
    Come libe, come home to night;
      Our Willie dear is dying.

3.
    No grief that e'er befell me, love,
      Could cause this heart such pain;
    Though neighbors kindly tell me, love,
      He may get well again.
    But a mother's heart is watchful
      All the life has left his eyes;--
Oh come to night and weep with me before our darling dies--
Oh come to night and weep with me before our darling dies.
    Come with an eagle's flight,
      Come like a beam of light,
    Come libe, come home to night;
      Our Willie dear is dying.